Stay-log structure for veneer lathes



April 3 J. T. MENGEL 2,633,882

STAYLOG STRUCTURE FOR VEENER LATHES 7 Filed July ll, 1952 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 IN VENTOR Josgo/i Z e! ATTORNEY5' 'outthe cutting operation.

Patented Apr. 7, 1953 F151: in 1:

UNITED STAY-LOG STRUCTURE FOR VENEER LATHES J oseph T. Mengel, Knoxville, Tenn. I

Application July 11, 1952, Serial No. 298,375

The present invention relates in general to veneer lathe machines fcrcutting veneer from -logs,'blocks or flitches of wood, and more particularly relates to a staylog mounting unit therefor for positioning the logs or blocks of wood so as to maintain the figureor character of the veneergrain more or less uniform throughout the cutting operation.

Heretofore, cutting of veneer has been practiced primarily either by mounting a whole log for rotation aboutits central axis against an advancing knife to form a continuous sheet of veneer, known as round cutting, or by mounting blocks or flitches of wood on a rotating support, known as a staylog, and rotating the block or ditch about the axis of the staylog, and intermittently advancing a knife toward the axis of rotation an amount equal to the thickness of the veneer tobe cut to successively form single veneer strips during each rotation of the staylog. In most cases, however, no provision was made for periodic adjustmentof the angle of the grain of the wood block or iiitch in relation to the cutting face of the knife so as to maintain the figure ;or character of the veneer grain uniform during the cutting'operation.

One modification of this arrangement, de-

signed to avoid the appearance of undesired grain patterns duringsuchcuts, involved the addition of intermediate wedge-shaped plates to be inserted between the supporting face of the stay- V veneer lathes bywhich the plane of the bearing face of the staylog and the grain angle of the block or fiitch to be mounted thereon can be adjusted relative to the cutting face of the knife so as to selectively change the angle of attack thereof. M

' Another object ofthe present invention is the provision of a novel staylog mounting unit for veneer lathes by which the grain angle of the block or flitch to be mounted on the staylog may be successively shifted relative to the cuttin face of the knife so as to provide veneer sheets of more or less uniform grain pattern through- 7 Claims. (01. 144-214) Other objects, advantages and capabilitiesof .the present invention will become apparent from the following detail description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein only a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a conventional veneer lathe, with the staylog mounting means of the present invention incorporated therein;

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section taken along the lines 2-2 of Figure 1, illustrating the staylog mounting means of the present invention, with the fiitch and staylog disposed in position for cutting the upper portion of the flitch;

Figure 3 is a section view taken through a portion of the staylog mounting means and associated portions of the lathe, taken along the lines 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is anexploded perspective view of the staylog, mounting means therefor and one of the staylog supporting face plates;

Figure 5 is a view of the staylog and supportingmechanism therefor illustrated in Figure 2, with the staylog and flitch positioned for cutting the middle portions of the flitch; and

- Figure 6 is a view of the staylog and supporting mechanism therefor illustrated in Figure 2, with the staylog and flitch positioned for cutting the innermost portions of the flitch. 7

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures, and particularly referring to Figure 1, the reference character It designates a conventional staylog type of veneer lathe of the type with which the staylog mounting mechanism of the present invention is to be employed; These conventional staylog veneer lathes, are usually provided with a large bed or base. I l supporting a plurality of aligned bearing elements l2, having aligned bearing apertures therein for supporting trunnions 13 extending from a pair of aligned circular face plates l4. Power is applied to the trunnions [3 to rotate the face plates M in synchronism about the trunnion axis at a controlled speed through the interengagement of gears l5 with gears IS on a suitable drive shaft H. The speed at which these face plates I4 are initially driven is usually very slow compared to normal running speed.

The staylog for such a veneer lathe is indicated generally by the reference character 20 and consists of a generally cylindrical body of metal having a sector of the wall thereof extending the length of the staylog deformed to produce a pair of flanges 2| and a bearing face 22, the

flanges having a series of apertures through which screws 23 are extended and driven into a block or flitch of wood, indicated at 24, to securely mount the fiitch on the flitch supporting face 22.

The staylog 25 is provided with cylindrical trunnions 25 projecting from each end thereof, which are usually rigidly held in an accommodating aperture in the face plates M with the hitch supporting face 22 disposed in a plane perpendicular to the radial axis of the face plate extending through the center of the staylog. The axis of the staylog may either be disposed coincident with the axis of the face plates 14 or may be off-center therefrom, in this conventional construction.

Such lathes are also provided with a knife carriage, generally indicated at 26, which isslidably mounted for movement toward and away from the axis of the trunnions 13. This carriage 26 adjustably mounts a knife 21 havinga cutting edge disposed parallel to the axis of thetrunnions 13. A guard plate 23 is usually associated with-the knife 21 on the knife carriage 26 to assist in regulating the thickness of the veneer slices.

In accordance with conventional practice, the log fiitches are first bolted to the staylog 25, and the knife carriage 26 is brought up to initial cutting position. The face plates 14 and staylog 20 are then slowly rotated to make the first several cuts, after which the conventional automatic knife carriage feed is utilized to advance the knife toward the axis of the trunnions I3. These automatic feeds advance the knife the required distance during the interval following the departure of the trailing edge of the ditch from the knife and before the presentation of the leading edge of the flitch to the knife edge in the next successive rotation cycle.

The veneer lathe construction and operating procedures thus far described are representative of lathes and procedures well knownin the industry. .U. S. Patent No. 1,574,037 to Kessler, dated February 23, 1926, and No. 1,786,460 granted December 30, 1930, to Stone, are representative disclosures of the conventional lathe described above except for the specific staylog structure disclosed therein. Since the staylog'type of veneer lathe is so well known and broadly disclosed in these patents, and since the present invention is directed to the staylog mounting structure per se, no further description of such lathe is believed necessary.

Figures 2 to 6 illustrate the specific mechanism which is employed to intercouple the staylog 20 with the face plate I4 to permit the staylog 2 and the block or fiitch 24 mounted thereon to be adjusted to various angles relative to the. cuttin face of the knife 21 so as to provide a more or less uniform grain pattern in the veneer sheets successively cut from the block 24. To this end, each of the circular face plates l4 are provided with a generally U-shaped member 30 forming a retaining plate which is welded or otherwise securely held on the face plate l4. This U-shaped member 38 is provided with legs 3|, 32, which are each arranged parallel to a diametric axis of the face plate l4 and equally spaced therefrom, the adjacent faces of each of the legs 3|, 32 being oppositely beveled as indicated at BI, 32' to define a dove-tail slot 33 opening at one edge of the face plates 14 and centered relative to the axis of the face plate.

A dove-tail bearing block 34 is slidably dis.- posed within the dove-tail slot 33 and is pro- 4 vided with a bearing aperture 35 to receive one of the trunnions of the staylog 20. Suitable means such as a rod 36 threaded at one end 36' into a suitable threaded aperture 34 of the bearing block 34 and anchored for rotation in the bridge of the U-shaped member 30, may be provided to hold the bearing block 34 in the desired position of adjustment along the axis of the dove-tail slot 33.

An elongated arm 31 is to be associated with each end of the staylog 20. The arm 31 is provided with an aperture 38 through which the staylogtrunnion 25 is to be projected and the arm welded or otherwise suitably anchored to the staylog 20.

The end of each arm 31 is bifurcated to define a slot 39 in which a reciprocating latching tongue 48 is disposed to be selectively projected beyond the end of the arm 31 or withdrawn into the slot 39. The control means for this latch tongue 40 consists of a connecting rod or link 4| which is coupled at one end to the tongue 40 and extends through an axial bore 42 into an intermediate recess 43 in the arm 31. The end of the rod 4| projecting into the recess 43 is coupled to a slotted cam plate 44 pivotally mounted within the recess 43. A pin 41' on the end of the rod 4| extends through the inclined slot 44 in the slotted cam plate 44, so that rotation of the handle 45 of the cam plate 44 draws the rod 4| and latch tongue 40 connected therewith axially of the arm 31 to withdraw the tongue 40 into the recess 39. The cam plate 44 is normally disposed so that the handle 45 extends alongside the arm 31. Suitable locking means such as the outstanding lug 46 having a threaded bolt 46' therein which may be positioned to overlie and hold the handle 45 in such position is preferably provided on the arm 31.

An arcuate latch plate 41 conforming substantially to the configuration of the circular face plates 14 is securely mounted to the bridge portion 38 of the U-shaped member 30 as by bolts 41', and is provided with an arcuate recess 48 in the end thereof disposed toward the arm 31 to accommodate the arms 31 during rotation about the axis of the staylog trunnions 25. Integral stop elements 49 are formed at each end of the arcuate recess 48 to limit rotation of the arms 31 about the axis of the staylog trunnions 25 to approximately fifty degrees. A series of notches 50, 5| and 52 are provided at spaced points along the arcuate recess 48, the notches 50 and 52 being disposed to accommodate the projecting latch tongue 40 when the arm 31 is disposed at either limit of the recess 48 in contact with the abutment stops 49, 49', respectively. The intermediate notch 5| is disposed to accommodate the projecting latch tongue 40 and position the arm 31 when the axis of the arm 31 is disposed parallel to the axis of the dove-tail slot 33.

This adjustment mechanism for the staylog is provided to effect adjustment of the grain angle of the block or fiitch 24 relative to the face of the knife 21 as the cutting of veneer strips from the block 24 proceeds from the outer tip 24' thereof toward the inner portion 24 of the fiitch. The fiitches or blocks used in this type of cutting operation are generally quarter round flitches so that the medullary or wood rays indicated by the reference character 55 radiate from one longitudinal corner of the flitch. The arcuate lines 56 and 51 of Figure 5 divide the flitch into outer, intermediate and inner cutting guesses zones 58, 59 and B0, respectively, of the fiitch 24.

It will be apparent that with the fixed type of staylog heretofore in common use, which maintains the fiitch in the position illustrated in Figure throughout the cutting operation, the mean angle of the medullary rays relative to the arcuate cutting axis in the intermediate and inner cutting zones 59 and 60 would be markedly different from that in the outer zone 58, so that the grain pattern of the veneer sheets cut from the intermediate and inner zones would differ markedly from those out from the outer zone 58.

The operation of the presentinvention to avoid this wide disparity in grain pattern is substantially as follows. The arms 31 controlling the orientation-of the staylog 20 and fiitch supporting face 22 are initially positioned as illustrated in Figure 2, with the projecting latch tongue 40 seated in the notch 50 of the arcuate latch plate 41. The tongue 40 is held in thisposition by virtue of the screw 45 overlyingthe handle 45 of the cam plate 44. The power means for the The screw 56' is thenrotatedout of contactwith the arm 45 of the cam plate 44 and the plate 44 is pivoted upwardly to withdraw the latch tongue 40 from the notch 50 in the latch plate 41. The arms 31 are then rotated within the recess 48 to dispose the latch tongue 50 over the recess 5| and the cam plate 44 rotated downwardly to project the tongue 40 into the recess 5|, the cam plate 44 being then locked in this position by means of the screw 46'. The lathe is again energized and operated with the staylog 2|] in this condition until the fiitch is cut down to approximately the line 51, at which time the lathe is again deenergized, the tongue 40 withdrawn from the notch 5|, the arms 31 rotated to the position illustrated in Figure 6, and the latch tongue 40 again locked in seated condition in the notch 52. The lathe may then be again energized and the log out down through the inner zone 60 thereof.

By shifting the plane of the fiitch supporting plate 22 of the staylog 20 relative to the face of the knife 21 in the manner just described, the cutting axis of the blade through the fiitch will be varied to substantially compensate for the charges in the mean angle between the medullary rays of the fiitch and the knife as the fiitch is cut down to the intermediate and inner zones thereof, thus producing a more or less uniform figure or character in the veneer grain pattern throughout the cutting of the entire fiitch. This is accomplished in a simple manner without requiring the attendance of a skilled operator, as the positions of adjustment are already indicated on the latch plate 41 by the notches 50, 5| and 52, and the staylog and fiitch are securely held in the position of adjustment in a manner avoiding misalignment of the fiitch by impact with the knife by the latch tongue 40 seated in the appropriate recess in the latch plate 41.

While but one specific embodiment of the invention has been particularly shown and described, it is apparent that various modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and it is desired, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are imposed by the prior art and are setforth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a veneer lathe including a rotatable staylog having a fiitch supporting face, means for adjustably supporting said staylog in said lathe comprising a pair of rotatably mounted driven supporting plates for said staylog having bearing means for journaling said staylog between said plates, a projecting arm rigidly carried by said staylog, latch means disposed at the end of said arm, and locking means rigidly supported on at least one of said supporting plates cooperating with said latch means to lock said projecting arm at selected angles with respect to a reference plane extending through the axes of said supporting plates and said staylogs for varying the angular relation of said fiitch supporting face in said. lathe.

2. In a veneer lathe including a rotatable staylog having a fiitch supporting face, means for adjustably supporting said staylog to vary the angle of attack of a fiitch supported thereon relative to a knife on said lathe comprising a pair of rotatablyj mounted driven supporting plates for said stayloghaving eccentrically disposed bearing means for journaling said staylog for rotation about the axis of said staylog, a projecting arm rigidly carried by said staylog, latch means disposed at the end of said projecting arm, and locking means rigidly supported on at least one of said supporting plates cooperating with said latch means to lock said projecting arm at selected angles oppositely inclined to and aligned with a reference plane extending through the axes of said supporting plates and said staylog.

3. In a veneer lathe including a rotatable staylog having a fiitch supporting face, means for adjustably supporting said staylog to vary the angle of attack of a fiitch supported thereon relative to a knife on said lathe comprising a pair of rotatably mounted driven supporting plates for said staylog having eccentrically disposed bearing means for journaling said staylog for rotation about the axis of said staylog, an integral projecting arm disposed on at least one end of said staylog to overlie one of said supporting plates, latch means disposed at the end of said projecting arm to selectively project therefrom, and an anchor plate rigidly supported on at least one of said supporting plates having keeper means to receive said projecting latch means for lockin said projecting arm and staylog at selected angles oppositely inclined to and aligned with the projected plane of the axes of said supporting plates and staylog.

4. In a veneer lathe, a pair of driven circular plates mounted for rotation about a transverse axis of said lathe, a staylog having its ends journaled in said circular plates for rotatably supporting said staylog about an axis parallel to and spaced radially from said transverse lathe axis, and means for adjusting the orientation of said staylog relative to a plane intersecting said staylog and transverse lathe axes comprising an arm rigidly carried by such staylog and projecting radially therefrom, a locking plate rigidly supported on at least one of said circular plates, and latch means on said arm to be se lectively intercoupled with complementary latching means on said locking plate for locking said arm and staylog at selected angles of inclination relative to said supporting plates.

7 .1m a sense: lathe-.oi-theyp in ludingrotatable sta ing havin a flitch s pportin face, supp rting means for said staylog to vary the angle of attack of a fiitch supported thereon relative to a knife on said lathe comprising a pair of driven circular plates journaled for rotation about a transverse axis of said lathe, bearing means mounted on said plate for journaling said vstaylog for rotation on an axis spaced from the transverse lathe axis, an integral arm on at least one end of said staylog projecting perpendicularly from said staylog and having a latching tongueiprojecting from the end thereof, and a lockingplate rigidly supported on at least one of said circular plates having recesses for receiving said latching. tongue .at selective positions .of said arm oppositely inclined to and aligned with a plane intersecting said transverse lathe and staylog axes.

.6. In a veneer lathe of the type including a rotatable staylog having a flitch supporting face, supportin means for said staylog to vary the an le of attack of a flitch supported thereon relative to a knife on said lathe comprising a pair of driven circular plates journaled for rotation about a transverse axis of said lathe, bearing means mounted on said plate for journaling said staylog for rotation on an axis spaced from the transverse lathe axis, integral arms projecting perpendicularly from said staylog at each end thereof and having a latching tongue projecting from the ends thereof, and a locking plate rigidly supported on each of said circular plates having recesses for receiving said latching tongue at selective, positions of said arm oppositely inclined toand aligned with a plane intersecting said transverse lathe and staylog axes.

7. In a veneer lathe of the type including a rotatable staylog having a flitch supporting face for presenting a flitch carried thereon cyclically to a fixed veneer knife, supporting means for said staylog to vary the angle of attack of a flitch supported thereon relative to the knife on said lathe comprising a pair of driven circular plates journaled for rotation about a transverse axis of said lathe, bearing means mounted on said plate for journaling said staylog for rotation on an axis spaced from the transverse lathe axis, integral'arms projecting perpendicularly from said staylog to overlie said circular plates and having a latching tongue projecting from the ends thereof, and a locking plate rigidly supported on each of said circular plates having recesses for receiving said latching tongue at selective positions of said arm oppositely inclined to and aligned with a plane intersecting said transverse lathe and staylog axes.

JOSEPH T. MENGEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Hill Mar. 26, 1946 

